Family Fun Directory: Things To Do with Kids

In Minnesota, family fun outdoors means embracing all four seasons. If you are on this page because you are looking for a new Twin Cities-area park, playgroundor nature center to explore, hundreds of entries can be found through our Parks & Playgrounds Search feature. Or, continue searching hundreds more ideas of things to do with kids in the Twin Cities through our Family Directory, including family outings, services, classes, camps, birthday parties and more.

Como Park Zoo is a nice choice for an inexpensive outing with out-of-town guests. Como Park has many picnic areas and playgrounds to add to the fun or visit Como Town Amusement Park. If you pick the right time in the summer, there is often live music and other activities. Check our Family Fun Calendar for special events. Parking lots fill up fast in the warmer months. It is smart to park at the fairgrounds and ride the Zoo Bus shuttle between May and August.

Checking Out the Big Cats at Como Zoo

Como Zoo Hours and Prices

Como Zoo is open every 365 days a year and has two sets of hours from April through September, it is open from 10am to 6pm; and from October through March it closes two hours earlier, 10am to 4pm. The zoo is FREE and open to anyone regardless of ability to pay, but a donation of $3/adult and $2/child to helps pay for care and feeding of the plants and animals.

Como Zoo Directions and Parking

Find directions to the zoo here or use the mapping feature on our calendar below. There are parking lots throughout Como Park, including right next to the zoo. However, in the summer months, you'll save a great deal of hassle and frustration if you park at the State Fair Grounds and take the shuttle to the zoo and back to your car.

Save the hassle and makes the kids happy - Park and Ride.

Anytime Family Fun Ideas at Como Park Zoo

Como Zoo Animal Visit Checklist

You can use the following checklist when visiting the zoo to see how many of these animals you can find while exploring. If you want to learn more about any of the residents of the zoo, click on their images at the como website; and if you would like a map to help you find your way to a specific habitat, download the visitor guide here or grab one at the entrance.

Anaconda

Arctic Fox

Bison

Cougars

Dall’s Sheep

Emperor Tamarin

Flamingo

Galapagos Tortoise

Giraffe

Golden-Headed Lion Tamarins

Gorilla

Kudu

Lemur

Lion

Orangutan

Ostrich

Patas Monkey

Penguin

Polar Bear

Puffin

Reindeer

Saki Monkey

Sea Lion

Seahorse

Sloth

Snow Leopard

Spider Monkey

Tiger

Wolf

Zebra

Visit the Western Lowland Gorillas

Image courtesy Como Park Zoo

Alice, the female gorilla who lost her first baby in 2014, has given birth to another baby on October 18, 2017. The baby girl was four pounds at birth and is only the third gorilla to be born at Como. John Dee, curator at Como Zoo, says "With this birth, everything is tracking as it should. Alice has shown herself to be very attentive, very nurturing, and very protective of her new baby, just as we hoped she would”. Gorilla babies are born nearly helpless except to cling to their mother's hair and to nurse. They stay with their mothers, who are very protective, for several years after birth. Mother and baby will remain off exhibit until they have bonded. Watch for them when they return to the Gorilla habitat.

Visit The Snow Leopards

Moutig. Photo credit: Como Friends

Como Zoo welcomed a mating pair of European-born snow leopards in March 2016. Even before they have kits, zoo keepers expect the cats to be fun to watch. The are a young and playful couple, particularly Moutig, the male (pictured below).

Ongoing Exhibits at Como Park Zoo

Pay $5 to feed a giraffe some lettuce at 10:45 a.m. daily and also 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. There is also another observatory deck for free viewing. Giraffe feeding closes for the season in October and reopens.

This indoor space, nestled between the zoo entrance and the conservatory, is designed for small children to learn about plants and animals in a hands-on manner.

Birthday Parties At Como Park Zoo

The zoo offers birthday bash packages featuring six unique party themes – each with live animal visitors, plants, or a personal tour of a featured animal exhibit (public area). For an added fee, Como will provide pizza and cake. Packages starting at $250.

Classes and Camps at Como Park Zoo

Coming in 2020 -- Como Harbor

Como Harbor will be the reinvention of Como Zoo’s seals and sea lions habitat, While still a couple years off, work is continuing on budget and on schedule. You'll notice Como’s campus has been dug up and dismantled to make room for this year-round aquatic habitat. Como believes the new habitat will dramatically improve the care they can provide to seals and sea lions and also offer visitors better views and face-to-face experiences.

If you have visited Como Park Zoo and Conservatory this past summer, you will have noticed a whole new exhibit of dirt, mud, and construction equipment. “Guests, especially the kids, have had their nose to the fence watching the heavy equipment and trucks all summer and they have been so interested in what’s been going on”, shares Michelle Furrer, Como Campus Director.

What is the Family Fun Twin Directory?

This is the most extensive collection of companies, organizations, activities and places to find things to do with kids in the Twin Cities. Find things to do this weekend, things to do today, things to do with toddlers, things to do with teens. We have it all. Sort by indoor things to do with kids or outdoor things to do with kids. Find theater, music, water parks, aquariums, zoos, museums, seasonal fun.

Find the Answers to Your Questions. How much does it cost? What are the hours? Where can I find discount tickets? Where did my favorite store go?

We share Family Friendly Businesses. We work hard to keep it the most current and accurate parenting resource in the Twin Cities. Not just a blog for moms, we are a informational resource for families. This parent to parent list is perfect for dads, moms and grandparents to find fun things to do with kids year round.

This directory was made for families who live in the Twin Cities metro to connect with local businesses. However, visitors to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area will find our directory useful to learn more about venues with insider tips and details. Use this directory to find the best things to do with families in Minnesota's largest metropolitan area.

Beginning July 3, 2019

Affiliate Link Notice

Family Fun Twin Cities is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.